The Pro-Palestinian's Real Agenda

Hatred for the Jewish state is being promoted on American campuses.

During a recent visit to several university campuses in the U.S., I discovered that there is more sympathy for Hamas there than there is in Ramallah.

Listening to some students and professors on these campuses, for a moment I thought I was sitting opposite a Hamas spokesman or a would-be-suicide bomber.

I was told, for instance, that Israel has no right to exist, that Israel's "apartheid system" is worse than the one that existed in South Africa and that Operation Cast Lead was launched only because Hamas was beginning to show signs that it was interested in making peace and not because of the rockets that the Islamic movement was launching at Israeli communities.

I was also told that top Fatah operative Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life terms in prison for masterminding terror attacks against Israeli civilians, was thrown behind bars simply because he was trying to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Furthermore, I was told that all the talk about financial corruption in the Palestinian Authority was "Zionist propaganda" and that Yasser Arafat had done wonderful things for his people, including the establishment of schools, hospitals and universities.

The good news is that these remarks were made only by a minority of people on the campuses who describe themselves as "pro-Palestinian," although the overwhelming majority of them are not Palestinians or even Arabs or Muslims.

These groups of hard-line activists/thugs are trying to intimidate anyone who dares to say something that they don't like to hear.

The bad news is that these groups of hard-line activists/thugs are trying to intimidate anyone who dares to say something that they don't like to hear.

When the self-designated "pro-Palestinian" lobbyists are unable to challenge the facts presented by a speaker, they resort to verbal abuse.

On one campus, for example, I was condemned as an "idiot" because I said that a majority of Palestinians voted for Hamas in the January 2006 election because they were fed up with financial corruption in the Palestinian Authority.

On another campus, I was dubbed as a "mouthpiece for the Zionists" because I said that Israel has a free media. There was another campus where someone told me that I was a ‘liar" because I said that Barghouti was sentenced to five life terms because of his role in terrorism.

And then there was the campus (in Chicago) where I was "greeted" with swastikas that were painted over posters promoting my talk. The perpetrators, of course, never showed up at my event because they would not be able to challenge someone who has been working in the field for nearly 30 years.

What struck me more than anything else was the fact that many of the people I met on the campuses supported Hamas and believed that it had the right to "resist the occupation" even if that meant blowing up children and women on a bus in downtown Jerusalem.

I never imagined that I would need police protection while speaking at a university in the U.S. I have been on many Palestinian campuses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and I cannot recall one case where I felt intimidated or where someone shouted abuse at me.

Ironically, many of the Arabs and Muslims I met on the campuses were much more understanding and even welcomed my "even-handed analysis" of the Israeli-Arab conflict. After all, the views I voiced were not much different than those made by the leaderships both in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. These views include support for the two-state solution and the idea of coexistence between Jews and Arabs in this part of the world.

The so-called pro-Palestinian "junta" on the campuses has nothing to offer other than hatred and de-legitimization of Israel. If these folks really cared about the Palestinians, they would be campaigning for good government and for the promotion of values of democracy and freedom in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Their hatred for Israel and what it stands for has blinded them to a point where they no longer care about the real interests of the Palestinians, namely the need to end the anarchy and lawlessness, and to dismantle all the armed gangs that are responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent Palestinians over the past few years.

The majority of these activists openly admit that they have never visited Israel or the Palestinian territories. They don't know -- and don't want to know -- that Jews and Arabs here are still doing business together and studying together and meeting with each other on a daily basis because they are destined to live together in this part of the world. They don't want to hear that despite all the problems life continues and that ordinary Arab and Jewish parents who wake up in the morning just want to send their children to school and go to work before returning home safely and happily.

It is not really about ending the "occupation" as much as it is about ending the existence of Israel.

What is happening on the U.S. campuses is not about supporting the Palestinians as much as it is about promoting hatred for the Jewish state. It is not really about ending the "occupation" as much as it is about ending the existence of Israel.

Many of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas officials I talk to in the context of my work as a journalist sound much more pragmatic than most of the anti-Israel, "pro-Palestinian" folks on the campuses.

Over the past 15 years, much has been written and said about the fact that Palestinian school textbooks don't promote peace and coexistence and that the Palestinian media often publishes anti-Israel material.

While this may be true, there is no ignoring the fact that the anti-Israel campaign on U.S. campuses is not less dangerous. What is happening on these campuses is not in the frame of freedom of speech. Instead, it is the freedom to disseminate hatred and violence. As such, we should not be surprised if the next generation of jihadists comes not from the Gaza Strip or the mountains and mosques of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but from university campuses across the U.S.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Khaled Abu Toameh, an Arab Muslim, is a veteran award-winning journalist who has been covering Palestinian affairs for nearly three decades. He studied at Hebrew University and began his career as a reporter by working for a PLO-affiliated newspaper in Jerusalem.

Abu Toameh currently works for the international media, serving as the 'eyes and ears' of foreign journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Abu Toameh's articles have appeared in numerous newspapers around the world, including The Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report and The Sunday Times of London. Since 2002 he has been writing on Palestinian affairs for The Jerusalem Post.

Abu Toameh has also been working as a producer and consultant for NBC News since 1989. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 23

(23)
Bruce,
March 15, 2015 7:40 PM

South African Israeli-apartheid bandwagon

The South African contingent of the pro-Palestine anti-Israel movement are members of the old anti Apartheid movement with a grudge against Israel with sharp memories of Israels cooperation with the South African Apartheid government during apartheid. Nowadays they look to relive their glory days by using the same strategy of vilifying apartheid to vilify Israel. Why do they do this? perhaps to distract their own supporters from their own abhorrent tenure in power, which has seen South Africa stumble from one fracas to the next. Perhaps also because they are vehemently anti Western and they take the Israelii state as a beacon of Westernity which if it could be crushed would be a major blemish in the West's armour against darkness in the world, and what they (these old South African revolutionaries) really stand for.

(22)
Anonymous,
August 29, 2013 4:52 PM

Salute to truth

Kol Hakavod to you. I try to read all your articles because you are a credit to your country, religion, profession and above all, to truth and humanity. I wish you would also tour the UK which is the centre and source of this anti-Israel mantra in the universities. May you and your family be blessed with health and happiness. Shalom!

(21)
Anonymous,
April 8, 2009 1:54 PM

Encounters

I attend an American university in the state of Pennsylvania and just last weekend went down to Washington DC with a friend for a change of scenery. I was a little shocked when I was crossing the street near the north side of the White House to see two men holding up a huge yellow banner that said "SAVE THE PALESTINIANS" and then behind them were more people with large signs denouncing Israel. I was even more shocked when passers-by casually stopped to take pictures with these people. I literally had to stop in my tracks just to take it all in. In my opinion, people should be promoting co-existence instead of this "good vs. evil" facade.

(20)
Dennis Cast,
April 2, 2009 7:39 PM

universities

Its ammazing how many people get chance as they would not in any other place in the world to have qulity education only to use that opportunity to express unprovoked hatred toward an innocent nation of Israel.

(19)
anon,
April 2, 2009 3:46 PM

"On one campus, for example, I was condemned as an "idiot" because I said that a majority of Palestinians voted for Hamas in the January 2006 election because they were fed up with financial corruption in the Palestinian Authority. "
This is wrong. They voted for Hamas because of the "DEATH TO THE ZIONISTS" spiel.

(18)
em,
March 31, 2009 12:13 PM

May G-d bless you and protect you, Mr. Toameh!!!!

After speaking with Arabs in Israel (both Muslim and Christian) who clearly stated their preference to live in the Jewish state rather than a Palestinian one if ever a "two-state solution" was realized, Arabs who lived in America yet chose to return to Israel ("It's better for me here," said one), and Arabs from other Middle Eastern countries who came to live in Israel because "here it's better", it is obvious to me what the truth is.

(17)
alan,
March 30, 2009 10:03 AM

Closet anti-semites

Spend time with one of these ugly people and you will ultimately scratch an anti-semite. They are rabble rousers looking for a cause. They are not new to Jews.

(16)
Jonathan S.,
March 30, 2009 5:35 AM

Thank you, Mr. Toameh

Sir,
I have read your articles before. I have to tell you how much I respect and admire you for all the hard work you do. It certainly seems to me that you are bucking a world wide trend to hate-based hysteria "reporting".

(15)
Nir,
March 30, 2009 3:43 AM

#14, sadly your idea will just fuel antisemitism

because then antisemitic groups will say that "the jewish international connection" controls the media, the universities, and even the president of the united states.

(14)
Anonymous,
March 29, 2009 8:12 PM

Take Back Our Schools

One way to stop this anti-semitism and anti-Christianity is to take back our schools. For too long the universities in the U.S.A. have been filling its students with lies. Look who is in the office of president of this country. He and his cabinet are products of universities. We also need to get a hold of the media and bring truth back into our culture.

(13)
joe,
March 29, 2009 7:53 PM

Answer to Where were the Jewish Students

Arieh you were never in the military because you don't know anything about military incursions. You can't make a bullet hit a ist who is using human sheilds. You are very naive. I was in the US Army and if you would of been my army buddy during combat I assure you both of us would have been killed.

(12)
Sona Adams,
March 29, 2009 7:51 PM

even in a conservative state like Alaska

I am surprised that these behaviors even happen on the University of Alaska, Anchorage campus - we tend to be more conservative up here.

(11)
Wassim,
March 29, 2009 5:39 PM

Arabs and Jews have enemies in common

Scott, reality is striking right about now wouldn't you say. I bet that the current economic strife is somehow linked to the US's failure to address the Middle East issue (in earnest) earlier. Just don't ask me to explain the link, it's deliberately a very long bow.
Shaun, have you heard "Short Memory" by Midnight Oil. I think you'd appreciate it. How quickly people forget, even though we say "lest we forget" every rememberance day.
I like conspiracy theories, and here's one I dwell on often. Centuries ago, before the discovery of the new world, before the reliance on ships to transport cargo, the Middle East was the most influential region thanks to the humble camel and the merchant class. Fortunately for the rest of the world, there was little stability there because these people were also obsessed with the idea of God. This "idea" ensured their survival in a wicked world but it also drove them to war over its details. When the Roman Empire saw this, they must have thought it was a mixed blessing. A people with their heads in the clouds could neither be conquered with ease or pose a serious threat to other civilisations... unless they were unified. And for a short period of time we saw what a unified Middle East would have done to the world. Conversion by the sword, or pay a much higher "infidel" tax rate. Thank God they didn't succeed completely, it surely would have lead to a boring lifestyle in the 21st century, not to mention significantly devoid of truth. Now fast forward to this day and age, and I think you'll agree, some people don't want us to work it out.
The campus protestors are the puppets that embody ignorance. You gotta commend their activism, albeit misguided and in the end counter-productive. Any intelligent element must be malicious, otherwise how could you explain the level of bias and selective fact-finding and all that emotive reactionary language. The puppets cannot pull their own strings. We know which side of the conflict is right and which side is wrong, what we need to think about is who is the third player in this political game that costs innocent lives.

(10)
Mark Douglas Obenour,
March 29, 2009 4:21 PM

Israel Needs more Students in the U.S.A.!

Unfortunately, more Israeli Students are needed to visit the United States as Foreign Exchange Students, Both on the High School and the College Level. I can remember two Palestinians telling me about "what my government didn't want me to know" about what was happening on "The West Bank" when I attended Bluffton College in Bluffton, OH in the 1990's. He was happy to tell me about how the news media was not telling America about Arabs on the west bank not recieving gas masks when the Israeli's were during the SCUD attacks of the First Gulf War and show me the scars where he had been shot for working for a palestinian newspaper. He told me he had to go to New York to have surgery to correct side effects from Israeli soldiers gunshot wounds. I had extensive time to talk to these Palestinians on campus who told of the propaganda the US government doesn't want us to hear about. I have told a friend from Chabad about what they said when I met with him down in Pontiac Michigan back in 2006. I suggested to him then that Israel needs to aggressively seek opportunities to set these American Campuses straight by having Israeli students who can speak English to spend time in the US as High School and College students to educate Americans on Palestinian propaganda while they learn with us. American Students only hear the Palestinians side of things unless Israelis are willing to spend the time to come and educate America.
I was on two other community college campuses before going to Bluffton University and NEVER met any foreign exchange students from Israel. I have had the pleasure of attending Reform Synagogue in Flint, MI since I have moved to Michigan from Ohio. Rabbi Companez in Flint had a delegation of professors from Sderot came to tell us
of what it was like to try to teach when rockets were falling from Palestinian areas. It was hard for me to imagine in America the conditions that these brave educators teach under
every day in Sderot. As a former educator at a community college and a now retired EMT/Paramedic and Instructor in Emergency Medical Services I couldn't imagine having 15 seconds from siren warning until Impact of a rocket somewhere on campus, And KNOWING there was no way to evacuate everyone to shelter in time! American needs to know both sides of the story! The Palestinians are actively coming to America as foreign exchange students...Israelis need to avail themselves of the same opportunity to educate and inform American Students and Instructors of the conditions they live under from these unprovoked attacks every day!
May Hashem continue to bless and protect you everyday!
Sincerely
Mark Douglas Obenour
Lapeer, MI, U.S.A.

(9)
Jason,
March 29, 2009 12:20 PM

HaShem is bringing His children HOME!

Pretty soon, there will come a point in time where all Jews around the world will have NO CHOICE but to move and live in Israel. It's our homeland, and G-d is bringing us home as promised. Deuteronomy, Chapter 4 Verses 26- onward!!! AMEN!!!!!
Sorry American, Jews... It's time to PACK!!!!!

(8)
J. L.,
March 29, 2009 10:43 AM

USA Campus

It is called "Brain Washing". Hitler did it. America abandoned G-D and will bear the consequences of their decision. Anthing goes except G-d's written instructions.

(7)
Masha,
March 29, 2009 10:01 AM

better organizing and education

To Arieh (1st comment)-- it is obvious after reading your comment that you are the one who is biased. What the author refers to in the line that you quoted is the methodical massacre of palestinians that dared to speak up against Hamas, or who have refused to let Hamas into their homes.
It still amazes me that jews here in the US still are very ignorant about the Middle East and the fact that no matter what Israel gives up, and how many concessions are made, the Jihadists will never accept Israel. And, as we all know, it only starts with the Jews, but it never ends with the Jews.

(6)
Anonymous,
March 29, 2009 9:45 AM

What and Why

Yes, but WHY is all this anti-Israel propaganda happening, and WHAT are we supposed to do about it?

(5)
Deborah Bach,
March 29, 2009 9:18 AM

Arieh, have you missed reports about Hamas and Fatah ...

To Arieh from comment 1,
Have you missed reports about Hamas and Fatah members in Gaza killing each other?

(4)
Shaun Camilleri,
March 29, 2009 9:13 AM

They Forget

They forget about the terrorist attacks in Spain, London, Scotland, Berlin,New York, Mombi, Iraq, Algeria and, every place where someone disagrees with a one minded group of people. The have forgotten the air hijackings, the Achile Lauro and the endless list of terror attacks. Their justification is Western Governments and it seems these young people have joined the bandwagon as if to say, 'Hay I am not one of them! I am with you.'
The problem is they discriminate against no one - we are all enemies. Today Israel, tomorrow YOU.

(3)
N Rosen,
March 29, 2009 9:08 AM

more negative energy

How do such groups including "Free Palestine" and "Students for Justice in Palestine" expect to acheive a Palestinian state if they propagandize negative messages about Israel? Instead of demonstrating what they claim Israel is doing, they can certainly be a lot more productive in helping to build a Palestinian state. Anti-Israel intimidation only poses negative energy when that same time and energy could be used to fly to Israel and do some nation building for the Palestinians in the Gaza strip and West Bank. Arrogance and intimidation in blaming Israel is just ongoing destructiveness. Does the Pro-Palestinian community know anything about being more constructive and taking responsibility for diplomacy?

(2)
Scott Sunshine,
March 29, 2009 8:52 AM

same story, different day

The author is correct, Americans do not really know much about the Middle East, or any other part of the world, but feel compeled to comment and protest for the "underdog" Until reality really strikes here nothing will ever change.

(1)
Arieh,
March 29, 2009 8:50 AM

Where were the Jewish students?

I would like to know where the Jewish university students were when all this hatred was being spewed at you.
I would also take like to take exception to one particular part of your essay. "the armed gangs that are responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent Palestinians over the past few years." Israel is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Gazan civilians during the recent incursion, not Hamas. Your lack of addressment of this fact indicates a biased slant as regards your reporting. The rationale being used by the Israeli government (to stop missle attacks), is not valid and you know it. Yes, the extreme student's hatred of Israel does bother me, but it would not exist had Israel not killed so many innocents in Gaza.

I was born with a neuromuscular disease known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy and have been confined to a wheelchair my entire life. Unfortunately my sister and I were raised without any religious instruction or guidance. My father wasn't Jewish and although my mother is, she openly claims to be an atheist. The "good news" is that both my sister and myself - independent of each other and at different times in our lives - realized that we are Jewish and chose to live a Jewish life.

Because of my disability, I'm not always able to attend services on Shabbat, but I always light candles, pray from a Siddur and read the weekly Torah portion. I would like to know whether, considering my situation, if using a computer is allowed during the Sabbath? I found the complete Bible online and since my computer is voice-activated I don't have to struggle to turn pages or continuously ask for assistance.

Thank you to everyone at Aish.com for making it possible for myself and so many others to learn about being Jewish and grow in the most important part of our lives.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Thank you so much for your encouraging words and for sharing your inspiring story.

God gives each of us a set of challenges. To those more capable of conquering difficulties, He gave bigger challenges. A challenge from God is a sign that He cares about us and has confidence in our ability to become great.

It sounds like you're doing great!

As for using the computer on Shabbat, that is prohibited. A foundation of Judaism is that we need to respect God's wishes, even if we think that doing otherwise is "for a good reason." Consider this story:

A king calls in his trusted minister and says: "I have an important mission for you to perform. Go to the neighboring kingdom and meet in the palace with their leaders. But remember one thing - under no circumstances must you remove your shirt during this meeting. Now go and do as I say."

The minister sets off on his merry way and soon arrives at the neighboring kingdom. There he heads straight for the palace where he meets with the King. In the midst of their discussion, he sees some of the king's officers pointing and laughing at him.

"Why are you laughing?" asks the visiting minister.

"Because we've never seen someone with such a pronounced hunchback as yourself," they say.

"What are you talking about? I'm not a hunchback!"

"Of course you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"We'll bet you one million dollars that you are!"

"Fine - I'll gladly take your bet."

"Okay, so take off your shirt and prove it."

At which point the minister remembers the parting words of the king... "under no circumstances must you remove your shirt during the meeting." Yet, the minister reasons, a million dollars would certainly bring added wealth to the king's coffers. I know I'm not a hunchback, so I'll surely win the bet. Of course, under these circumstances the king would approve...

The minister removes his shirt and proudly displays his perfect posture. With pride in his achievement, he holds out his hand, into which is placed a check for one million dollars.

The minister can barely contain his excitement. He quickly ends the meeting and runs back to give the wonderful news to his king. "I earned you a million dollars!" exclaims the minister. "It was easy. I only had to remove my shirt to prove that I wasn't a hunchback."

"You did what?!" shouts the king. "But I told you specifically not to remove your shirt. I trusted that you'd follow instructions, and so I bet the other king $10 million dollars that he couldn't get you to remove your shirt!"

The Torah tells us "Do not add or subtract from the mitzvahs." (Deut. 4:2) Jewish law is a precise metaphysical science. Consider a great work of art. Would you consider adding a few notes to a Bach fugue, or some brushstrokes to a Rembrandt portrait?!

Perfection, by definition, cannot be improved upon. Altering Torah law is an unacceptable implication that God is lacking.

The verse in Psalms 19:8 declares: "Torat Hashem Temimah" - the Torah of God is complete. For just as adding one wire to a transistor radio means it no longer can pick up reception, so too we mustn't tinker with Jewish law. The mitzvahs of God are perfect.

May the Almighty give you strength to continue your growth in Judaism.

In 1315, King Louis X of France called back the Jews who had been expelled a few decades earlier by King Louis IX. This marked a theme in Jewish-French life: expulsions and subsequent invitations to return. The French monarchy was trying to establish their land as the "new Jerusalem," and to fulfill this mission attempted several crusades to Israel. In 1615, King Louis XIII ordered that Christians were forbidden to speak with Jews, upon penalty of death. Eventually, in 1683, King Louis XIV expelled the Jews from the colony of Martinique.

Focus on what you do want. Make your goal explicit. “My goal is to increase my moments of joy.” This way, every single moment of joy is a successful moment.

Celebrate each moment of joy. Be grateful every time you experience joy.

Having this goal will place your attention on joy. Instead of feeling bad when you are not joyful, you will experience positive feelings about experiencing more joy.

Each moment of joy in your entire life is experienced one moment at a time. You can’t have more than one moment of joy in any given moment, but you can increase the number of joyful moments. How? By focusing on it.

There is no person on earth so righteous, who does only good and does not sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20).

Reading the suggestions for ridding oneself of character defects, someone might say, "These are all very helpful for someone who has character defects, but I do not see anything about myself that is defective."

In the above-cited verse, Solomon states what we should all know: no one is perfect. People who cannot easily find imperfections within themselves must have a perception so grossly distorted that they may not even be aware of major defects. By analogy, if a person cannot hear anything, it is not that the whole world has become absolutely silent, but that he or she has lost all sense of hearing and may thus not be able to hear even the loudest thunder.

In his monumental work, Duties of the Heart, Rabbeinu Bachaye quotes a wise man who told his disciples, "If you do not find defects within yourself, I am afraid you have the greatest defect of all: vanity." In other words, people who see everything from an "I am great/right" perspective will of course believe that they do no wrong.

When people can see no faults in themselves, it is generally because they feel so inadequate that the awareness of any personal defects would be devastating. Ironically, vanity is a defense against low self-esteem. If we accept ourselves as fallible human beings and also have a sense of self-worth, we can become even better than we are.

Today I shall...

be aware that if I do not find things within myself to correct, it may be because I am threatened by such discoveries.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...